The ‘Lotus’ title dispute continues…
Gerard Lopez, a leading business entrepreneur and the majority shareholder for RenaultF1 Team, sees no harm in having four cars on next year’s grid under the title of ‘Lotus’.
Only last week, the RenaultF1 Team has signed a deal with the car manufacturer company, Group Lotus which will be running for the next season as the title sponsor of the French team, RenaultF1. Having signed this deal, the Renault team will be running on
the 2011 grid under its new title, Lotus RenaultF1. At the same time there is the other team, Norfolk, UK based, Malaysian team, ‘Lotus Racing’, which made its debut with the sport in 2010. As the team principal, Tony Fernandes announced earlier this season
that the team will be seen on the next years’ calendar under the same title, Group Lotus raised the issue of the title ownership. As both claim for the ownership of the legendary title, ‘Lotus’, now the court is to decide legally about the matter.
Moreover, after the announcement of the collaboration between Renault and Group Lotus, which has bought 30% shares of the team, the issue of the colour of cars also started between the two teams. As the historical Lotus car, driven by the sport’s legend,
Ayrton Senna, was painted Black and Gold, both the teams have showed desire of coming for the next season with the same livery. This would mean that two opposing teams with the same names and the same cars will be seen on the same grid. The situation is largely
considered as an ill-logical stunt by the two groups that is not only defaming the well-known brand but is also confusing the race lovers.
However, the car colour dispute is somewhat settled as Fernandes announced earlier this week that he will let his opponent take Black and Gold, while he will stick to his last year’s paint, Green and Yellow. However, both the teams are still adamant to keep
the same name for the upcoming season. Well, it is hoped that the verdict of the court will be given before the teams move for next season, as the first round is expected to take place in March. In any case if it is not so, none of the teams are expected to
give up the title.
Lopez, while talking to the media earlier this week said, “As far as having four [Lotus] cars next year on the grid, I don't think it's going to happen. I tend to be a positive person, so I would say that nobody has anything to win from this - except maybe
Group Lotus as having four cars running for the same brand and only being involved financially in two of them."
He further added that he believes that there are a lot more reasons for Group Lotus to claim the historic name than ‘Team Lotus’, which has only been attached to it for one season.
He further went on explaining, "The natural course of things should be that whoever is the Lotus brand should race as Lotus and whoever isn't, and actually had asked for a licence to do so, should race as something else. I'm certainly not going to be the
one standing and making that decision because I have no power to do so... [but] I don't think there are going to be two teams of the same name and four cars of the same colour."
However, as per the FIA regulations, RenaultF1 needs the official approval of all its fellow teams as well as the governing body, to have its name changed to Lotus Renault GP for the 2011’s entry list. In case, if this agreement is not granted the team will
have to run as RenaultF1 next season, while Lotus will be a sponsor just as Vodafone is to McLaren.
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